Moving Forwards

I got a grammar lesson from Todd “Now we’re cookin’ with biscuits” Sullivan. An unlikely source at best. I said something to the effect of “He drives in forwards.” When he mocked me, I didn’t even understand. And it wasn’t because I was talking about Han Solo flying the Millenium Falcon into an asteroid crater inhabited by a giant, space sock-puppet. He had to explain it plainly for me to understand that “forwards” was not even a word.

I got a grammar lesson from Todd “Now we’re cookin’ with biscuits” Sullivan. An unlikely source at best. I said something to the effect of “He drives in forwards.” When he mocked me, I didn’t even understand. And it wasn’t because I was talking about Han Solo flying the Millenium Falcon into an asteroid crater inhabited by a giant, space sock-puppet. He had to explain it plainly for me to understand that “forwards” was not even a word.

I’m an introspective sort. So, having been made aware of this I began to cogitate on my own vocabulary and grammar. My reflection was fueled somewhat by the embarrassment felt by one who, most times, is pointing out the grammatical gaffes of others. It was a kind of competition my sister and I used to play; we still do. It has spilled over and has affected my colleagues. No one is made happy by this.

My wife has brought a little phrase to my attention: leave it go. I usually say something like, “I’m going to leave it go for now.” What I really mean is “let it go”, “leave it alone”, “let it be” or even “fuggedaboutit.” It seems to be something I learned where I grew up in Pennsylvania. My wife works in the Midwest, including Western Pennsylvania. She hears it there, occassionally. I am actually from Eastern Pennsylvania, but Western PA is closer than New England. Meaning, I probably talk more like folks in Pittsburgh than folks in Boston or Chicago.

Cursed to forever be the outsider, my relatives in Pennsylvania think I talk like a Mainer and the people in Maine just don’t care where the hell I’m from or what I’m saying, let alone how I’m saying it. They just know I’m a “from away.”

So, I’m not sure where I picked up “forwards.” I’ll make a temporary note to blame the Mainers, but I have a suspicion that it may be a root problem.

I’m hoping this will be an online exorcism. I’m going to leave it go, move forward and not look backwards.